React Virtualization and Infinite Scrolling Libraries Comparison
react-window vs react-virtualized vs react-infinite-scroll-component vs react-tiny-virtual-list
1 Year
react-windowreact-virtualizedreact-infinite-scroll-componentreact-tiny-virtual-listSimilar Packages:
What's React Virtualization and Infinite Scrolling Libraries?

These libraries are designed to enhance the performance of React applications by efficiently rendering large lists or grids of data. They help improve user experience by reducing load times and memory usage, allowing developers to implement features like infinite scrolling or virtualization. Virtualization refers to rendering only the visible items in a list, while infinite scrolling allows for loading more items as the user scrolls down. Each library has its unique approach and feature set, making them suitable for different use cases in web development.

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react-window2,218,63016,008896 kB3a year agoMIT
react-virtualized1,045,37726,4612.2 MB32 years agoMIT
react-infinite-scroll-component735,2712,893-1934 years agoMIT
react-tiny-virtual-list80,4662,468-546 years agoMIT
Feature Comparison: react-window vs react-virtualized vs react-infinite-scroll-component vs react-tiny-virtual-list

Performance Optimization

  • react-window:

    Similar to react-virtualized but with a more lightweight design, react-window provides efficient rendering of lists and grids by only rendering the visible items. It is optimized for performance and is easier to use for simpler cases.

  • react-virtualized:

    Offers a wide range of optimization techniques, including windowing, which only renders items in the viewport. It also supports features like cell measurement and dynamic heights, ensuring efficient rendering even for complex layouts.

  • react-infinite-scroll-component:

    This library optimizes performance by loading data in chunks as the user scrolls, minimizing the initial load time and reducing memory usage. It allows for seamless user experience without overwhelming the browser with too many DOM elements at once.

  • react-tiny-virtual-list:

    It focuses on rendering only the visible items in a list, which significantly reduces the number of DOM nodes created. This results in faster rendering times and less memory consumption, making it suitable for large datasets.

Ease of Use

  • react-window:

    This library strikes a balance between functionality and simplicity. It provides a clean API that is easy to understand while still offering powerful features for virtualization.

  • react-virtualized:

    While powerful, it has a steeper learning curve due to its extensive feature set. Developers may need to spend more time understanding its API and capabilities, especially for advanced use cases.

  • react-infinite-scroll-component:

    This package is designed for ease of use, with a simple API that allows developers to implement infinite scrolling with minimal configuration. It is beginner-friendly and integrates seamlessly with existing React components.

  • react-tiny-virtual-list:

    It has a straightforward API that makes it easy to implement virtualization without extensive setup. The library is lightweight and focuses on core functionality, making it easy to integrate into projects.

Feature Set

  • react-window:

    Focuses on providing essential virtualization features with a smaller footprint. It is suitable for most use cases where performance is critical but does not include as many advanced features as react-virtualized.

  • react-virtualized:

    Provides a comprehensive set of features, including support for tables, grids, and complex layouts. It is ideal for applications that require advanced data handling and visualization capabilities.

  • react-infinite-scroll-component:

    Primarily focuses on infinite scrolling, making it ideal for applications that require loading more data as the user scrolls. It does not provide virtualization features, so it is best for simpler use cases.

  • react-tiny-virtual-list:

    Offers basic virtualization capabilities, making it suitable for rendering large lists efficiently. It lacks some advanced features found in other libraries but excels in simplicity and performance.

Community and Maintenance

  • react-window:

    It is actively maintained and has gained popularity for its simplicity and performance. The community is growing, and it is often recommended for new projects requiring virtualization.

  • react-virtualized:

    This library has a large community and extensive documentation, making it easier for developers to find resources and support. However, it may not be as actively maintained as newer libraries.

  • react-infinite-scroll-component:

    This library has a growing community and is actively maintained, ensuring that developers can find support and updates as needed. Its simplicity contributes to its popularity among developers.

  • react-tiny-virtual-list:

    While it has a smaller community compared to others, it is still actively maintained and provides essential features for virtualization. It is suitable for projects that prioritize performance over extensive features.

Customization

  • react-window:

    Offers some customization options while maintaining a lightweight design. It is suitable for developers who want to customize their virtualization experience without the overhead of a more complex library.

  • react-virtualized:

    Highly customizable, allowing developers to tailor the library to their specific needs. It supports various configurations for complex data handling and visualization, making it ideal for advanced applications.

  • react-infinite-scroll-component:

    Offers limited customization options, focusing primarily on infinite scrolling functionality. It is best suited for developers who need a quick solution without extensive customization requirements.

  • react-tiny-virtual-list:

    Provides basic customization options for list items but is primarily focused on performance. It is suitable for developers who want a lightweight solution without extensive configuration.

How to Choose: react-window vs react-virtualized vs react-infinite-scroll-component vs react-tiny-virtual-list
  • react-window:

    Choose react-window for a modern and efficient approach to virtualization. It is smaller and faster than react-virtualized, making it suitable for most use cases where performance is a priority.

  • react-virtualized:

    Select this library if you need a comprehensive set of features for complex data visualization, including support for tables, grids, and more. It is ideal for applications that require advanced features like sorting and filtering in addition to virtualization.

  • react-infinite-scroll-component:

    Choose this package if you need a simple and straightforward implementation of infinite scrolling for your lists. It is easy to set up and integrates well with existing components.

  • react-tiny-virtual-list:

    Opt for this package if you require a lightweight solution for rendering large lists with virtualization. It is particularly useful when you want to minimize bundle size and improve performance without sacrificing functionality.

README for react-window

react-window

React components for efficiently rendering large lists and tabular data

If you like this project, 🎉 become a sponsor or ☕ buy me a coffee


React window works by only rendering part of a large data set (just enough to fill the viewport). This helps address some common performance bottlenecks:

  1. It reduces the amount of work (and time) required to render the initial view and to process updates.
  2. It reduces the memory footprint by avoiding over-allocation of DOM nodes.

Sponsors

The following wonderful companies have sponsored react-window:

Learn more about becoming a sponsor!

Install

# Yarn
yarn add react-window

# NPM
npm install --save react-window

Usage

Learn more at react-window.now.sh:

Related libraries

  • react-virtualized-auto-sizer: HOC that grows to fit all of the available space and passes the width and height values to its child.
  • react-window-infinite-loader: Helps break large data sets down into chunks that can be just-in-time loaded as they are scrolled into view. It can also be used to create infinite loading lists (e.g. Facebook or Twitter).
  • react-vtree: Lightweight and flexible solution to render large tree structures (e.g., file system).

Frequently asked questions

How is react-window different from react-virtualized?

I wrote react-virtualized several years ago. At the time, I was new to both React and the concept of windowing. Because of this, I made a few API decisions that I later came to regret. One of these was adding too many non-essential features and components. Once you add something to an open source project, removing it is pretty painful for users.

react-window is a complete rewrite of react-virtualized. I didn't try to solve as many problems or support as many use cases. Instead I focused on making the package smaller1 and faster. I also put a lot of thought into making the API (and documentation) as beginner-friendly as possible (with the caveat that windowing is still kind of an advanced use case).

If react-window provides the functionality your project needs, I would strongly recommend using it instead of react-virtualized. However if you need features that only react-virtualized provides, you have two options:

  1. Use react-virtualized. (It's still widely used by a lot of successful projects!)
  2. Create a component that decorates one of the react-window primitives and adds the functionality you need. You may even want to release this component to NPM (as its own, standalone package)! 🙂

1 - Adding a react-virtualized list to a CRA project increases the (gzipped) build size by ~33.5 KB. Adding a react-window list to a CRA project increases the (gzipped) build size by <2 KB.

Can a list or a grid fill 100% the width or height of a page?

Yes. I recommend using the react-virtualized-auto-sizer package:

screen shot 2019-03-07 at 7 29 08 pm

Here's a Code Sandbox demo.

Why is my list blank when I scroll?

If your list looks something like this...

...then you probably forgot to use the style parameter! Libraries like react-window work by absolutely positioning the list items (via an inline style), so don't forget to attach it to the DOM element you render!

screen shot 2019-03-07 at 7 21 48 pm

Can I lazy load data for my list?

Yes. I recommend using the react-window-infinite-loader package:

screen shot 2019-03-07 at 7 32 32 pm

Here's a Code Sandbox demo.

Can I attach custom properties or event handlers?

Yes, using the outerElementType prop.

Screen Shot 2019-03-12 at 8 58 09 AM

Here's a Code Sandbox demo.

Can I add padding to the top and bottom of a list?

Yes, although it requires a bit of inline styling.

Screen Shot 2019-06-02 at 8 38 18 PM

Here's a Code Sandbox demo.

Can I add gutter or padding between items?

Yes, although it requires a bit of inline styling.

Screen Shot 2019-03-26 at 6 33 56 PM

Here's a Code Sandbox demo.

Does this library support "sticky" items?

Yes, although it requires a small amount of user code. Here's a Code Sandbox demo.

License

MIT © bvaughn